We can only solve global challenges together. To do so, we need a functioning multilateral system,
said Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg on the occasion of the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace on 24 April.
A pandemic like the one we are experiencing now knows no nationality. Climate change does not stop at national borders either. That’s why we need functioning international organisations now more than ever.
Since its admission to the United Nations in 1955, Austria has consistently and tirelessly promoted multilateral cooperation and has assumed international responsibility: as one of four UN headquarters worldwide, as a troop contributor for peacekeeping missions for more than 65 years and as a three-time non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Multilateralism has always been a cornerstone of our foreign policy,
said Foreign Minister Schallenberg, who in this context also emphasised Austria’s important role as a bridge-builder and a place for dialogue rather than speechlessness. For example, Austria is currently once again serving as a host for the talks on reviving the Vienna nuclear agreement with Iran.
Multilateralism is also part of the EU’s foreign policy DNA,
Alexander Schallenberg stresses.The EU and its member states contribute around a quarter of the UN budget, making it the largest contributor.
It is in our very own interest that multilateral institutions reflect those values and principles on which stability and prosperity within the EU are based: openness, democracy, the rule of law. Whenever the challenges of today and tomorrow are discussed at an international level, we need a strong EU voice at the table.
A rules-based international order is essential for Austria’s security. Otherwise we will fall back into the principle of “might makes right”,
explains Foreign Minister Schallenberg. This also requires the credible implementation of treaty obligations on disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
In this context, Austria is particularly committed to raising awareness on the dangers of autonomous weapon systems without human control.
Algorithms and artificial intelligence that decide about life or death without human intervention are a horror scenario that must be prevented. The international community must act before legal and moral boundaries are crossed and so-called killer robots dominate the battlefields of this world,
appeals Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.
